Managing diabetes with 2-in-1 medicine

Ernie Q. is a bank executive who has been battling diabetes for 10 years now. All these years, he has been prescribed several medicines to manage his ailment and its complications.

Like many diabetics, Ernie is hoping for a cure. Cognizant that diabetes is a chronic disease which involves long-term treatment, he is willing to try a breakthrough pill.

Many diabetics are not aware that the use of an effective medicine is very essential in the management of diabetes. Failure to manage it may result in serious damage to the eyes, kidneys and heart.

According to the landmark United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study, approximately half of patients who are on metformin or other older anti-diabetes drugs, eventually need some type of combination therapy to effectively manage their disease.

A drug which controls type 2 diabetes has been developed by GlaxoSmithKline, one of the largest research-based companies in the world.

The drug is the first therapy to combine rosiglitazone and metformin, each working in distinct ways in the body to manage type 2 diabetes.

Metformin works primarily on the liver to lower the blood sugar level, while rosiglitazone directly targets insulin resistance, a major underlying cause of type 2 diabetes. Mixing the complementary treatment provides superior long-term blood sugar level control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The drug got the stamp of Health Canada and many health authorities worldwide.

"At the end of 2003, the Canadian Diabetes Association will issue updated clinical practice guidelines that further stress the importance of tight glycemic control," said Donna Lillie, national director for research and professional education of the Canadian Diabetes Association.

"Achieving and maintaining control of blood sugar levels is the key to preventing the complications associated with diabetes," Lillie added.

The rosiglitazone-metformin combination is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise, to reduce insulin resistance and improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus when diet, exercise and metformin or rosiglitazone alone do not result in adequate blood sugar control.

Patients are reminded that this medicine, along with other antidiabetic agents, is a prescription drug and should only be bought upon a doctor’s advice.

Diabetes, the sixth highest cause of death by disease in the United States, strikes an estimated 16 million Americans, 90 to 95 percent of whom have type 2 diabetes. Worldwide, the International Federation of Diabetes estimates that there are 151 million people currently living with diabetes. The number of diabetics worldwide is predicted to increase up to 300 million by the year 2025.

Patients with type 2 diabetes should consult their doctors to learn more about new treatments that could potentially put a stop to a progression of their disease.